David Cameron believes that millions of people facing rising energy bills
should consider "wrapping up warm" and wearing jumpers, Downing
Street has indicated.

British Gas yesterday announced that it is raising its energy prices for 8million customers by 9.2 per cent, a week after its rival SSE announced similar hikes. Other major companies are expected to follow suit.

Asked about whether people should "wrap up warm" and wear jumpers, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Clearly, he is not going to prescribe the actions that individuals should take but if people are giving that advice that is something that people may wish to consider.

"As you know there's plenty of work going on to help people with their fuel bills, there's plenty of things that the government has done. People do look at what they can do in terms of shopping around and taking advantage of what offers there may be."

Downing Street later attempted to play down the comments after Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, said that Mr Cameron had moved from "hugging a hoodie" to "wearing a hoodie".

A spokesman said that the spokesman had used "loose" language, and that the Prime Minister "would not advise people what they should wear".

The spokesman said: "The Prime Minister would point people to a range of things being done to help people with their fuel bills, such as legislating to put everyone on the best tariff for them. He believes Labour’s “Price Freeze” policy is a con – and certainly would not advise people on what they should wear.

"it is entirely false to suggest the PM would advise people they should wear jumpers to stay warm. Any suggestion to the contrary is mischief making."

However Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, seized on the comments. He said: "Their crime policy used to be ‘hug a hoodie’. Now their energy policy appears to be ‘wear a hoodie’.These responses to the energy price rises show how little Mr Cameron and his government stand up for the interests of hard working people."

The row erupted after Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat energy Secretary, disclosed last night that he wears jumpers in home to help to keep his bills down.

The comments are likely to provoke anger from people struggling to cope with the rising cost of living.

It comes after Mr Davey was asked on BBC Newsnight whether people are "too accustomed to not wearing jumpers". He replied: "I'm sure people wear jumpers, I wear jumpers at home."

British Gas suggested yesterday that its customers should use less gas and electricity to help cope with rising bills.

Ian Peters, the managing director of residential energy, said: "A price rise doesn't necessarily mean energy bills have to go up too. The amount you pay depends not on the price, but on how much gas and electricity you use."

Clare Welton of the Fuel Poverty Action Group, said at the time: "Ian Peters' insinuation that customers should use less gas and electricity to cope with the price hikes reflects just how out of touch the Big Six energy bosses are with the reality in hard-up households.

"Millions of people are already cutting back on how much energy they use during the coldest months, at the cost of their health and well-being.

"If Ian Peters paid as much attention to the needs of British Gas customers as he does to the billions of pounds of profits at his parent company Centrica, he may have found less of an angry backlash from furious customers today."